The Long RunChapter 1

Around me is see a barren landscape. Just some low shrubs and heath.
A far cry from the meeting room I was expecting to enter.
I look at my watch and...

That can't be right; it says that almost four days have passed.

Suddenly I see movement out of the corner of my eye. A human, I assume, is moving toward me. I can't tell if it's male or female.

By the way, my name is Egon, and the meeting room I mentioned earlier was to be my first job interview out of college. I won't be getting that job now, will I.

Anyway, it's still moving toward me. About five metres away, it stops and says:

"efmhfdfk ... alibration completed
I am an Ambassador model 5 and I have been elected to speak with you because of my translating capabilities..."

"Okay, well I'm Egon..."

"We know, you were one of the candidates for this program."

"What program?"

"To understand that you'd need to understand our history, this shall not be recounted to the primitive likes of you."

The way he said it made it clear I wasn't going to enjoy this 'Program'.

"In short: the program was established to ascertain threats to our species from other species. If they were, they were eliminated before they gained civilisation. Not that the primates of earth are anywhere near reaching civilisation!"

Okay, Now I'm worried!!

"We've created a proto-universe in which we will place you once it has fully formed.
Then we observe.
Your predecessors all failed dismally at even surviving in an era equivalent to your first century a.d."

"And if I refuse to participate?"

"We weren't asking. The program isn't voluntary.
This ends my obligations, do try and die a little more spectacularly than the others, will you? It's so much more amusing that way!"